Baguio: The Department of Foreign Affairs Consular Office Baguio (CO Baguio) will give priority to female passport applicants on March 14, in celebration of this year's National Women's Month. "All female applicants may avail of passport services as walk-in applicants. There will be no online appointment schedule for CO Baguio," said the advisory issued Tuesday night. It added that regular eligible courtesy lane applicants such as senior citizens, persons with disabilities, solo parents, and overseas Filipino workers, regardless of gender, will also be accommodated.
According to Philippines News Agency, the DFA CO Baguio added that walk-in applicants with incomplete requirements are given until March 31, 2026, to comply and return to the office to complete their passport application. For applications to be submitted on March 14, the tentative release of passports will be on March 24 from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m.
Cecile Manago, 49, welcomed the DFA CO Baguio's move. "Ia-avail namin ang schedule na yun para makapag-apply na ng passport. Mas maganda na meron kami baka matuloy ang invitation ng relative, at least hindi na kami mahihirapan masyado (We will avail of the schedule to apply for a passport because it is better to have it now, as we are expecting an invitation from a relative, and we will not have a difficult time obtaining one)," she said in an interview on Wednesday.
She added that she will bring her minor son and her sister's two minor daughters, one of whom is a PWD. Cecile said that she is glad that government offices give attention to the needs of women, especially those who are mostly at home and are busy taking care of their children. She also lauded the government for coming up with programs that ease the process of obtaining documents.